The factory Hyundai WRC team is poised to unveil its 2016 challenger, based on the latest version of its road-going i20 counterpart.
Hyundai had originally planned to introduce the new model during the course of the 2015 season, but was forced to delay its arrival until the new year because of a delay to the homologation schedule.
Now, after approximately 8,000km of testing since March, the Korean manufacturer is ready to take the wraps off its 2016 car this coming Wednesday (9 December) at its factory in Alzenau, Germany.
The team’s current driver line-up of Thierry Neuville, Dani Sordo and Hayden Paddon has been retained, while test driver Kevin Abbring could contest selected rounds.
“We have completed around 8,000km in stage conditions with the car, on both gravel and tarmac,” said Hyundai team boss Michel Nandan.
“We have carried out an average of one test per month with the new car.
“For a young team like ours, to run an intensive testing programme alongside a heightened WRC campaign has been quite an achievement but we now embark on some important milestones.
“We all look forward to officially unveiling the new car in Alzenau next week, before concluding the all-important homologation process with the FIA.”
The new generation i20 is set to run for just one season before it is rendered obsolete by sweeping changes to WRC’s technical regulations in 2017.
